Only Half True

The Star's Bill Dalton yesterday reposted a CNN story about the birthers' bad day that included this line:

The grass-roots legal issue has gained little legal or political footing, but continues to persist in the courts.

It's true that birtherism has struggled mightily in the courts, but in Missouri, we have a long list of birther and birther-curious elected officials who have received little of the scorn and mocking they've earned.   In fact, two sitting state representatives -- including the Majority Floor Leader of the Missouri House -- attached their names to an absurd legal fight lead by realtor/dentist Orly Taitz.   And a bill making its way through the General Assembly right now is being pushed by a Taney County legislator to keep the kooks conspiring.  Add in a U.S. Senator who thinks that reporters "don't have any capacity to talk about [Obama's citizenship] in a legitimate way," and I think you can say birtherism has gained more than a little political footing in the Show-Me State. 

Missouri's leading birther and birther-curious legislators:

• Majority Floor Leader Tim Jones (R-Eureka)
• Sen. Roy Blunt (R-K Street)
• Rep. Casey Guernsey (R-Bethany)
• Fmr. Rep. Cynthia Davis (R-O'Fallon)
• Rep. Mike McGhee (R-Odessa)
• Rep. Lyle Rowland (R-Cedarcreek)
• Fmr. Rep. Ed Emery (R-Lamar)
• Sen. Jim Lembke (R-Lemay)

And the elected officials who have co-sponsored at least one bit of birther legislation...

• Andrew Koenig (R-Winchester)
• Barney Fisher (R-Richards)
• Barney Joe Fisher (R-Richards)
• Bob Nance (R-Excelsior Springs)
• Brian Nieves (R-Washington)
• Dan Brown (R-Rolla)
• Darrell Pollack (R-Lebanon)
• Dave Hinson (R-St. Clair)
• Diane Franklin (R-Camdenton)
• Don Phillips (R-Kimberling City)
• Don Wells (R-Kwik Kash)
• Doug Ervin (R-Kearney)
• Doug Funderbunk (R-St. Peters)
• Dwight Scharnhorst (R-St. Louis)
• Jason Brown (R-Platte City)
• Jason Smith (R-Salem)
• Kevin Elmer (R-Nixa)
• Lindell Shumake (R-Hannibal)
• Melissa Leach (R-Springfield)
• Mike Kelley (R-Lamar)
• Mike Lair (R-Chillicothe)
• Rick Stream (R-Kirkwood)
• Fmr. Rep. Robert Wayne Cooper (R-Camden)
• Shane Schoeller (R-Willard)
• Stanley Cox (R-Sedalia)
• Tom Loehner (R-Koeltztown)
• Walt Bivins (R-St. Louis)

There is no separation between the fringe and the mainstream on this issue in Missouri.